lione clare

Meet Your Neighbours photographers come from many different backgrounds and locations. Some are seasoned pros and others are excellent amateur photographers with a passion for protecting wildlife. Age is also not a restriction and at 17, new Alaskan contributor Lione Clare is about to introduce the world to the wildlife that is found in her hometown of Sitka, Alaska. Lione will be partnering with the Sitka Conservation Society (SCS) and during her internship with the program she’ll be blogging about her experiences as a MYN contributor. Her first two posts can be found below!

07/23/13

Hi everyone! I’m Lione and I live in Sitka, Alaska. I’m 17 and going to be a senior this year. What inspired me to start Meet Your Neighbours was a presentation by Clay Bolt at the NANPA Summit this past February. I got selected as one of ten high school scholarship winners this year. It was a fantastic experience; I learned a tremendous amount and met so many amazing people. My favorite part was being constantly surrounded by hundreds of people who all share the same passion as me.

The Tongass National Forest is one big backyard playground for Sitkans; we spend our free time going on adventures. Whether it’s a big hike up into the alpine, boating excursion to a nearby island, or just exploring the wilderness, the Tongass provides an endless amount of opportunities for us. Although Sitka is our home, so is the rest of the Tongass. I hope to use MYN to promote conservation and raise awareness about the plants and animals that also find a home in the Tongass National Forest. They help make this beautiful and amazing place what it is and deserve to be recognized and appreciated for that.

08/05/13

After spending about five days on the phone, I’ve finally got a hold of some acrylite and couldn’t be happier! J It would’ve cost $70 just to ship a $30 product to Alaska and the nearest Home Depot (a jet or ferry ride away from Sitka) only had a gigantic piece that wasn’t the right thickness. Luckily, my dad and sister were up north at my family’s remote cabin near St. James Bay. They stopped in Juneau on their way home for more fuel, caught the Capital Transit public bus to Perseverance Glass and were able to find some! I honestly don’t know what I would’ve done without their help, so many thanks goes to them.

When my dad unloaded the boat tonight, I got so excited and spent forty-five minutes ripping off the sticky brown protective paper. Sometimes living in Sitka can be inconvenient and difficult, but then I remember what we are so fortunate to have right out our doors and remind myself it’s worth the wait. I’m pretty sure the weather forecast calls for sun tomorrow… I think I am finally ready to begin photographing Meet Your Neighbours style!